The Federal Government has reassured residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that there is no reason to panic following a series of recent earth tremors in the area. The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has confirmed that the tremors, though frequent, are mild and pose no significant threat to the environment or residents.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the NGSA urged the public to remain calm. The agency’s Director-General, Professor Olusegun Ige, explained that the tremors had been closely monitored and found to be low in intensity.
“There is no cause for alarm. The tremors do not pose any threat to the environment,” Prof. Ige stated.
The NGSA revealed that its monitoring station in Katampe, Abuja, had recorded multiple ground motions since September 13, 2024. According to the agency, the tremors have progressively increased in frequency over a four-day period.
“The station captured several significant ground motions, with only one mild event on September 13th. Six events were recorded on September 14th, followed by over 21 events on September 15th, and more than 20 on September 16th,” the statement read.
Although the tremors intensified between September 13 and 16, the NGSA assured residents that the overall intensity remained low.
“The tremors are weak to light, ranging from III to IV on the Modified Mercalli Scale, indicating a very low level threat,” Prof. Ige added.
The NGSA team also conducted on-the-spot assessments of the affected areas, including Mpape, Katampe, and Maitama. According to the agency, the tremors are the result of accumulated stress along identified fault lines in the area, which released seismic energy through fractures in the earth.
“There are multiple epicenters of the tremors, most of which are located northeast of our seismic station around Mpape, with a few southwest near Katampe,” the NGSA explained.
Residents of the affected areas have been advised not to worry.
“The tremors can be generally described as low, and there is no reason to panic,” Prof. Ige assured the public.
The NGSA also emphasized that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as necessary.
“Our seismic stations are being monitored in real time to ensure we can promptly alert the public in the event of any major developments,” Prof. Ige concluded.